How do CTCs allow a universe to self-create?

[relatively-uncertain]

So recently I saw a video with Richard Gott explaining a self-creating universe. There's three quick questions I'm confused about that I did not understand very well from the video:
1. How does a closed time-like curve allow the universe to self-create? Wouldn't the universe just go around the time-loop? How did it get past the time-loop to create a universe?
2. What is a Godel metric universe?
3. I know this question sounds really silly, but is the closed time-like curve an existing property of the universe that was 'just there' so it was infinitely forming different branches of universes?
Thanks! I would really appreciate any answers!

 

[kimbyd]

So recently I saw a video with Richard Gott explaining a self-creating universe. There's three quick questions I'm confused about that I did not understand very well from the video:
1. How does a closed time-like curve allow the universe to self-create? Wouldn't the universe just go around the time-loop? How did it get past the time-loop to create a universe?
2. What is a Godel metric universe?
3. I know this question sounds really silly, but is the closed time-like curve an existing property of the universe that was 'just there' so it was infinitely forming different branches of universes?
Thanks! I would really appreciate any answers!

1. A closed time-like curve is another (more precise) way of describing the concept of "self-creation". Wikipedia has a decent introduction into the concept:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causal_loop
2. It's a universe with swirling, uniform dust and a cosmological constant. Wikipedia again has some useful info:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gödel_metric
3. Closed time-like loops are static. You don't get a "new" universe by going around the loop. If there is a single point along the loop where a new universe is created, then exactly one universe is created.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

So recently I saw a video with Richard Gott explaining a self-creating universe. There's three quick questions I'm confused about that I did not understand very well from the video:
1. How does a closed time-like curve allow the universe to self-create? Wouldn't the universe just go around the time-loop? How did it get past the time-loop to create a universe?
2. What is a Godel metric universe?
3. I know this question sounds really silly, but is the closed time-like curve an existing property of the universe that was 'just there' so it was infinitely forming different branches of universes?
Thanks! I would really appreciate any answers!

The rest of the discussion may explain some of what you are missing:


I've watched this debate before, and some of what came before what you posted would be relevant.

 

[windy miller]

There is a much more detailed explanation of the issues involved here: